Treatment of tobacco

ABSTRACT

A bale of tobacco is conditioned by being fed towards a straight hollow probe which extends into the advancing front face of the bale and passes moist air or steam through a layer of the front face while tobacco is continuously removed from the front face.

United States Patent 1191 Dickinson 1 1 Oct. 1, 1974 1 TREATMENT OFTOBACCO 3,366,126 1/1968 V6162, Sr. 131/138 3,369,554 2/1968 Olofs on131/92 [75] Invent: Henry Charles 3,372,703 3/1968 Conaid, .11 131/135 xSouthampton, England 3,494,367 2 1970 Maguire 131/136 x [73] Assignee:Dickinson Engineering FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS LlmltedSouthampton England 1,027,577 4/1958 Germany 131/149 [22] Filed: July28, 1971 1,130,345 5/1962 Germany 131/149 1,143,557 2/1969 Great Britain131/149 [21] Appl. No.: 166,665

' Primary ExaminerJames H. Czerwonky [52] US. Cl 131/136, 131/135,131/149 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & Antonelli [51] Int CI. ...A24b3/02, A24b 3/06 [58] Field Of Search 13/136, l35,12l,;1-1944l3982, 57ABSTRACT A bale of tobacco is conditioned by being fed towards [56]References Cited 21 straight hollow probe which extends into theadvancing front face of the bale and passes moist air or steam UNITEDSTATES PATENTS through a layer of the front face while tobacco is con-2,597,620 5/1952 Coley 131/138 tinuously removed f the from face2,767,717 10/1956 Schlossmacher 131/136 2,869,556 1/ 1959 Rowell 131/13526 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEUBEI 1 1974 INVENTOR WILLIAMHENRYCHARLES DICKINSON A oRNeYs 1 TREATMENT or TOBACCO This invention isconcerned with conditioning bales of tobacco by adding moisture to thetobacco. In this context the term bale applies particularly to blocks ofcompressed tobacco of approximately rectangular cross-section, but it isalso intended to include blocks of circular or other differentcross-sections, for example what are commonly termed hogsheads.

According to the present invention apparatus for conditioning bales oftobacco comprises a straight hollow probe with one or more openings,means for feedings a bale continuously in the direction of the probe sothat the probe extends into the front face of the advancing bale, meansfor continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the advancingbale, and means for passing moist air or steam through the front facevia the probe.

In the preferred arrangement moist air is delivered continuously to aspace at the front of the bale, and a source of suction is connected tothe probe, so that the moist air is sucked into the front face. As analternative, however, the direction of flow could in principle bereversed; for example moist air at above atmospheric pressure could bedelivered into the probe to pass outwards through the end face of thebale.

An example of apparatus according to this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a modified probe;

FIG. 4 shows how a hogshead may be conditioned; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing an arrangement for driving twomodified probes.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings bales 2 of tobacco are grippedbetween upper and lower conveyor bands 4 and 6 which are driven at thesame speed, for example 90 mm per minute, and feed the balescontinuously in the direction of a hollow probe 8. Four rotary doffers10 extend horizontally across the front face of the leading bale androtate continuously so as to remove tobacco from the front face; thedoffers are driven by a motor 12 and may rotate at for example 70 r.p.m.The tobacco removed by the doffers falls through an outlet 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, each doffer may consist of two or more rods 14 eachformed into a helix. Alternatively the doffers may for example eachconsist of a shaft with radially projecting spikes. There may be more orfewer doffers than shown in the drawings.

The probe 8 preferably has a closed and sharpened point to facilitatepenetration into the compressed tobacco. Elsewhere the probe is formedwith numerous small holes in its wall thorugh which air drawn throughthe tobacco can pass into the probe. It will be seen that the part ofthe probe which extends into the tobacco bale is straight. The pipeforming the probe may be extended, as shown, to a source of suction inthe form of a centrifugal exhauster fan 16; alternatively a separatelyformed pipe may connect the probe to the fan. The fan 16 produces avacuum of approximately 20 centimetres of mercury gauge in the probe.Moist air is thus sucked into the probe from a space 18, passing throughthe front face of the leading bale and also through the exposed parts ofthe upper and lower and rection shown by the arrows in FIG. 1. The airis moistened (and heated) by steam injected into the pipe 20 through anozzle 22 under the control of a temperature sensor 21 which responds tothe temperature in the space 18 and operates a valve 23 controlling theadmission of steam at the nozzle 22 so as to keep the temperature in thespace 18 substantially constant. Alternatively, or in addition, watermay be injected at a point 24 into the pipe connected to the probe.

Above the band 4 and below the band 6 there are seals 5 and 7 to isolatethe space 18 from the atmosphere. In addition there are preferably sideseals (not shown) each consisting of a member which extends verticallyup one side of the bale, in line with the seals- 5 and 7, and isspring-loaded into contact with the bale. The tobacco outlet 13 alsoincludes an air seal; for example it may consist of a rotary device(e.g. a bladed wheel) which feeds the tobacco downwards while preventingfree communication between the space 18 and the atmosphere;

The pressure in the space 18 may be approximately atmospheric orslightly below or above atmospheric.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper band 4 passes round three pulleys 26, 28and 30 of which the pulley 30 is set at a higher level than the othertwo so as to provide a lead-in for the bales of tobacco. The bands 4 and6 grip the bales between them so as to drive them forwards with thenecessary force. The surfaces of the bands which engage the bale may beformed with lateral ridges or ribs to facilitate the drive between thebands and the tobacco.

The lower band 6 passes round two pulleys 32 and 34.

Bales are delivered one at a time on to the band 6 by means of a liftingdevice pivoted about the axis of the pulley 34. This device consists ofa frame 36 which carries two lifting forks 38 and a pair of narrowconveyor bands 40; the bands 40 pass round pulleys coaxial with thepulley 34 and around further pulleys 41. Movement of the lifting deviceis controlled by a jack 42 which has its casing pivotally mounted on afixed post 44 and has its extendable piston rod pivotally connected tothe frame 36 of the lifting device.

Each bale in turn is placed on the lifting forks 38 in an uprightposition. The jack 42 (which may be fluidpowered) is then extended tomove the lifting device to the position shown in chain-dotted outlinesin FIG. 1, in which position the conveyor bands 40 can deliver the balesmoothly on to the band 6. The bands 40 may be driven continuously atthe same speed as the band 6, for example by a motor 54 shown in FIG. 5,and there may be means to time the lifting of each bale so that there isvirtually no gap between successive bales; for example, there may be aphoto-electric cell in line with a beam of light which passes across therear face of the last bale on the band 6 when the lifting device isrequired to operate, the operation of the lifting device being initiatedby a signal from the photo-electrical cell.

In a factory requiring two or more systems such as that shown in thedrawings, there may be a single exhauster fan which serves all thesystems.

FIG. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a probe which is basically like thatshown in FIG. 1, except that it is in addition formed with a screwthread. The probe 8 has a closed conical leading end 8A. The maincylindrical body of the probe is formed with holes 8B through whichmoist air is drawn in the manner already described. In addition theprobe is formed in the region of the leading end, with a screw thread 8Cconsisting of a strip bent into a helix and welded or otherwise securedto the body of the probe.

During use the probe is rotated slowly, for example by means of a chain53, or other drive, from the motor 54 which drives the bands 4 and 6,see FIG. 5. The pitch of the thread 8C and the speed of rotation of theprobe are preferably so related to the forward speed of the bands 4 and6 that the thread 8C enters smoothly into the oncoming bale withouttearing at the tobacco in the bale. In other words, if the forward speedof the bands 4 and 6 is S centimetres per minute, and if the pitch ofthe thread 8C is P centimetres, then the probe is driven at a speed ofS/P revolutions per minute. The chains 53 rotate the probes 8 by meansof sprockets 55. Each of the probes 8 is connected to a stationary pipe56 which communicates with the fan 16. Suction may be transmitted to theinterior of each probe 8 from the corresponding pipe 56 through a rotaryunion contained within the sprocket 55.

Instead of one probe being used to condition each bale, there may be twoor more probes which may all be connected to a common fan 16, as shown,for example in FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 shows how cylindrical hogsheads of tobacco may be conditioned. Ahogshead is formed of layers lying normal to the axis of the hogshead,as shown in a somewhat exaggerated manner in FIG. 4,the axis of thehogshead 46 being along the probe 48. Each hogshead in turn is pushedobliquely upwards towards the probe by means of a plate 50 which isbeing supported by a cradle 51 while doffers 52 remove tobacco from thecircular front face 46A of the hogshead.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moisteningfluid through the tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioningchamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales oftobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermineddirection, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuouslyremoving tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioningchamber, and fluid conduit means mounted in said apparatus for passingmoistening fluid uninterruptedly through a layer forming the saidleading face via the conditioning chamber and the fluid conduit meanswhile the bales are moved continuously into said conditioning chamber,said fluid conduit means including at least one port past which the balemoves and through which fluid may be conveyed, which port is situated inrelation to said predetermined direction permanently behind the leadingface of the bale at said tobacco removing means, and means for creatinga pressure difference between said port and said conditioning chamberacross said leading face, to effect the transfer of moistening fluidthereacross.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the 6 means for creating apressure difference comprises an exhauster fan having an air outlet, andincluding supply means for supplying moistening fluid into theconditioning chamber, the supply means comprises a supply conduitconnected to the air outlet of the exhauster fan.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including means for injecting steaminto the air delivered to the conditioning chamber by the supplyconduit.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including upper and lowersubstantially horizontal conveyor bands for engaging and gripping thetop and bottom surfaces of the bales to move the bales successivelytowards and into the conditioning chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which both bands are arranged toextend substantially all the way to the leading face of the bale in theconditioning chamber.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including means for feeding balescontinuously, one after the other. to a position between the bands.

7. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moisteningfluid through the tobacco, compris ing means defining a conditioningchamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales oftobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermineddirection, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuouslyremoving tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioningchamber, a hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and arrangedto extend past the tobacco removing means, in a direction opposite tothe said predetermined direction, to penetrate into and beyond theleading face of the bale at the conditioning chamber, a portion of theprobe extending past, and spaced from, the tobacco removing means andbeing formed with at least one port for the passage of the saidmoistening fluid, the said port being, in relation to the saidpredetermined direction, situated permanently behind the said leadingface of the bale, and serving to pass moistening fluid uninterruptedlythrough the said leading face via the conditioning chamber and the probewhile the bales are moved continuously in the said predetermineddirection.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the point of the probe isclosed and conical in shape to facilitate entry into the advancing baleand in which an adjacent portion of the probe is formed with a pluralityof ports spaced around the circumference of the probe for the passage ofthe moistening fluid.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including a plurality of similarparallel probes which are all arranged to enter the leading face of thebale and provide a plurality of separate flow paths for the moisteningfluid.

10. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a. meansdefining a conditioning chamber;

b. a fan arranged to deliver air into the conditioning chamber;

0. means for injecting steam into said air;

d. parallel bands for gripping a bale between them and for advancing ittowards and into the conditioning chamber;

e. means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, to aposition between thebands;

f. at least one hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber andextending between and parallel to the bands and with a closed pointedend to penetrate through the leading face and into the bale fed onto itby the parallel bands, the part of the probe which lies behind thepointed end and which in use"'is embedded in the tobacco being formedwith a plurality of holes for the passage of conditioning air;

g. means connecting the probe to the suction side of the fan so as todraw conditioning air through the leading face of the bale and into thetobacco behind it;

h. means for continuously removing conditioned tobacco from the leadingface of the bale in the conditioning chamber.

11. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco. comprising meansdefining a conditioning chamber; parallel conveyor bands for engagingtop and bottom surfaces of successive bales and for advancing the balescontinuously towards and into the conditioning chamber; a plurality ofvertically-spaced rotary doffers mounted in the conditioning chamber forcontinuously removing tobacco from the front face of the leading bale inthe conditioning chamber, the said front face being adjacent to thedownstream ends of both band conveyors; a perforated hollow probemounted in the conditioning chamber and extending from the conditioningchamber between and parallel to the conveyor bands to penetrate into theadvancing bale, at least one rotary doffer being above the probe and atleast one being below the probe; means for delivering moistening fluidinto the conditioning chamber; and suction means connected to the probeto suck the moistening fluid inwards through the leading face of thebale adjacent to the rotary doffers.

12. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising meansdefining a conditioning chamber, means for feeding bales of tobaccotowards and into the conditioning chamber along a predetermined path,means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removingtobacco from the front face of the bale in the conditioning chamber,fluid conduit means mounted in said apparatus at a position along thepath of the bales upstream of the leading face of the bale at thetobacco removing means, fluid propelling means for producing a pressuredifferential between the fluid conduit means and the conditioningchamber whereby fluid propelled by said fluid propelling means flowsuninterruptedly along a path extending between the fluid conduit meansand the conditioning chamber, substantially all of said fluid passingthrough a layer forming the front face of the bale in the conditioningchamber, and including means for continuously injecting moistening fluidinto the said fluid flow for moistening each section of each bale beforeit reaches the tobacco removing means.

13. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising the steps ofcontinuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and intoa conditioning chamber, continuously removing tobacco from the leadingface of the bale in the conditioning chamber, creating a continuouspressure difference across said leading face between the conditioningchamber and the interior of the section of the bale behind the leadingface through a fluid conduit means mounted behind said leading face inrelation to the direction of movement of the bales and continuouslypassing moistening fluid through a layer forming the said leading faceby means of said pressure difference to moisten the tobacco of eachsection of each bale before it is removed from the bale.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising delivering moisteningfluid continuously into the conditioning chamber and drawing themoistening fluid into the leading face by means of suction applied tothe said fluid conduit means behind the leading face.

15. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco comprising continuouslyadvancing a succession of bales towards and into a conditioning chamberand through a hollow perforated probe extending towards the bales fromthe conditioning chamber in the direction of movement of the bales, andpenetrating the leading face of said advancing bales, passing moisteningfluid between the conditioning chamber and the probe along a pathextending through the leading face of the bale at the conditioningchamber to moisten the tobacco of each successive section of each bale,and continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale inthe conditioning chamber.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising delivering moisteningfluid into the conditioning chamber and applying suction to the probe todraw moistening fluid inwards through the said leading face.

17. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising continuouslyfeeding a succession of bales towards and into a conditioning chamber,past a fluid conduit means which, in relation to the direction ofmovement of the bales, is situated permanently behind the leading faceof the bale in the conditioning chamber, continuously removing tobaccofrom the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, creatinga pressure differential between the fluid conduit means and theconditioning chamber to produce an uninterrupted flow of fluid along apath extending between the fluid conduit means and the conditioningchamber and through a layer forming the said leading face of the bale,and continuously injecting moistening fluid into the said flow of fluidfor moistening each section of each bale before it reaches the tobaccoremoving means.

18. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a straighthollow probe having one or more openings therein, means. for feeding abale continuously in the direction of the longitudinal axis of saidprobe so that the probe extends longitudinally into the front face ofthe advancing bale, means for continuously removing tobacco from thefront face of the advancing bale, and means for passing moist air orsteam through the front face via said probe.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further including means fordelivering moist air continuously to a space at the front face of thebale, and a source of suction connected to the'probe, so that the moistair is sucked into the front face of the bale by the suction applied tothe interior of the bale via said probe.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said means for deliveringmoist air comprises a fan which also forms the suction source connectedto the probe.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19, further including means for addingmoisture to said air by the injection of steam.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18 including paral? lel bands forgripping the bale between them and for driving the bale towards theprobe.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, including means for feeding balescontinuously, one after the other, to a position between the bands.

26. A method of conditioning a bale of tobacco comprising the steps offeeding the bale towards and in the direction of the longitudinal axisof a straight hollow probe so that the probe extends longitudinally intothe front face of the advancing bale, removing tobacco continuously fromthe front face of the advancing bale, and passing moist air or steamthrough the front face of the bale via the probe while the probe extendsinto UNITED STATES PATENT ;v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,838,698 D d October 1, 1974 Inventor(s) William Henry CharlesDickinsonIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title a e, insert the following:

Foreign Application Priority Data July 29; 1970 Great Britain....36.729/70 Signedpand sealed this 14th day of January 1975.

(SEAL) Arrest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALLDANN Attesting Officer v Comissioner ofPetents FORM PO'WSO uscoMM-Dc sows-Pea U.S. GOVERNMENT PIINYING OFFICE9G9 0-35-334

1. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moisteningfluid through the tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioningchamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales oftobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermineddirection, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuouslyremoving tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioningchamber, and fluid conduit means mounted in said apparatus for passingmoistening fluid uninterruptedly through a layer forming the saidleading face via the conditioning chamber and the fluid conduit meanswhile the bales are moved continuously into said conditioning chamber,said fluid conduit means including at least one port past which the balemoves and through which fluid may be conveyed, which port is situated inrelation to said predetermined direction permanently behind the leadingface of the bale at said tobacco removing means, and means for creatinga pressure difference between said port and said conditioning chamberacross said leading face, to effect the transfer of moistening fluidthereacross.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means forcreating a pressure difference comprises an exhauster fan having an airoutlet, and including supply means for supplying moistening fluid intothe conditioning chamber, the supply means comprises a supply conduitconnected to the air outlet of the exhauster fan.
 3. Apparatus accordingto claim 2 including means for injecting steam into the air delivered tothe conditioning chamber by the supply conduit.
 4. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 including upper and lower substantially horizontal conveyorbands for engaging and gripping the top and bottom surfaces of the balesto move the bales successively towards and into the conditioningchamber.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which both bands arearranged to extend substantially all the way to the leading face of thebale in the conditioning chamber.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4including means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, toa position between the bands.
 7. Apparatus for conditioning bales oftobacco by passing moistening fluid through the tobaccO, comprisingmeans defining a conditioning chamber, means for continuously advancinga succession of bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioningchamber in a predetermined direction, means mounted in the conditioningchamber for continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of thebale in the conditioning chamber, a hollow probe mounted in theconditioning chamber and arranged to extend past the tobacco removingmeans, in a direction opposite to the said predetermined direction, topenetrate into and beyond the leading face of the bale at theconditioning chamber, a portion of the probe extending past, and spacedfrom, the tobacco removing means and being formed with at least one portfor the passage of the said moistening fluid, the said port being, inrelation to the said predetermined direction, situated permanentlybehind the said leading face of the bale, and serving to pass moisteningfluid uninterruptedly through the said leading face via the conditioningchamber and the probe while the bales are moved continuously in the saidpredetermined direction.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which thepoint of the probe is closed and conical in shape to facilitate entryinto the advancing bale and in which an adjacent portion of the probe isformed with a plurality of ports spaced around the circumference of theprobe for the passage of the moistening fluid.
 9. Apparatus according toclaim 7 including a plurality of similar parallel probes which are allarranged to enter the leading face of the bale and provide a pluralityof separate flow paths for the moistening fluid.
 10. Apparatus forconditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a. means defining aconditioning chamber; b. a fan arranged to deliver air into theconditioning chamber; c. means for injecting steam into said air; d.parallel bands for gripping a bale between them and for advancing ittowards and into the conditioning chamber; e. means for feeding balescontinuously, one after the other, to a position between the bands; f.at least one hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber andextending between and parallel to the bands and with a closed pointedend to penetrate through the leading face and into the bale fed onto itby the parallel bands, the part of the probe which lies behind thepointed end and which in use is embedded in the tobacco being formedwith a plurality of holes for the passage of conditioning air; g. meansconnecting the probe to the suction side of the fan so as to drawconditioning air through the leading face of the bale and into thetobacco behind it; h. means for continuously removing conditionedtobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber.11. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising meansdefining a conditioning chamber; parallel conveyor bands for engagingtop and bottom surfaces of successive bales and for advancing the balescontinuously towards and into the conditioning chamber; a plurality ofvertically-spaced rotary doffers mounted in the conditioning chamber forcontinuously removing tobacco from the front face of the leading bale inthe conditioning chamber, the said front face being adjacent to thedownstream ends of both band conveyors; a perforated hollow probemounted in the conditioning chamber and extending from the conditioningchamber between and parallel to the conveyor bands to penetrate into theadvancing bale, at least one rotary doffer being above the probe and atleast one being below the probe; means for delivering moistening fluidinto the conditioning chamber; and suction means connected to the probeto suck the moistening fluid inwards through the leading face of thebale adjacent to the rotary doffers.
 12. Apparatus for conditioningbales of tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioning chamber,means for feeding bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioningchamber along a predetermined path, means mounted in the conditioningChamber for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of thebale in the conditioning chamber, fluid conduit means mounted in saidapparatus at a position along the path of the bales upstream of theleading face of the bale at the tobacco removing means, fluid propellingmeans for producing a pressure differential between the fluid conduitmeans and the conditioning chamber whereby fluid propelled by said fluidpropelling means flows uninterruptedly along a path extending betweenthe fluid conduit means and the conditioning chamber, substantially allof said fluid passing through a layer forming the front face of the balein the conditioning chamber, and including means for continuouslyinjecting moistening fluid into the said fluid flow for moistening eachsection of each bale before it reaches the tobacco removing means.
 13. Amethod of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising the steps ofcontinuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and intoa conditioning chamber, continuously removing tobacco from the leadingface of the bale in the conditioning chamber, creating a continuouspressure difference across said leading face between the conditioningchamber and the interior of the section of the bale behind the leadingface through a fluid conduit means mounted behind said leading face inrelation to the direction of movement of the bales and continuouslypassing moistening fluid through a layer forming the said leading faceby means of said pressure difference to moisten the tobacco of eachsection of each bale before it is removed from the bale.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 13, comprising delivering moistening fluidcontinuously into the conditioning chamber and drawing the moisteningfluid into the leading face by means of suction applied to the saidfluid conduit means behind the leading face.
 15. A method ofconditioning bales of tobacco comprising continuously advancing asuccession of bales towards and into a conditioning chamber and througha hollow perforated probe extending towards the bales from theconditioning chamber in the direction of movement of the bales, andpenetrating the leading face of said advancing bales, passing moisteningfluid between the conditioning chamber and the probe along a pathextending through the leading face of the bale at the conditioningchamber to moisten the tobacco of each successive section of each bale,and continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale inthe conditioning chamber.
 16. A method according to claim 15, comprisingdelivering moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber and applyingsuction to the probe to draw moistening fluid inwards through the saidleading face.
 17. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprisingcontinuously feeding a succession of bales towards and into aconditioning chamber, past a fluid conduit means which, in relation tothe direction of movement of the bales, is situated permanently behindthe leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, continuouslyremoving tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioningchamber, creating a pressure differential between the fluid conduitmeans and the conditioning chamber to produce an uninterrupted flow offluid along a path extending between the fluid conduit means and theconditioning chamber and through a layer forming the said leading faceof the bale, and continuously injecting moistening fluid into the saidflow of fluid for moistening each section of each bale before it reachesthe tobacco removing means.
 18. Apparatus for conditioning bales oftobacco, comprising a straight hollow probe having one or more openingstherein, means for feeding a bale continuously in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of said probe so that the probe extends longitudinallyinto the front face of the advancing bale, means for continuouslyremoving tobacco from the front face of the advancing bale, and meansfor passing moist air or steam through tHe front face via said probe.19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further including means fordelivering moist air continuously to a space at the front face of thebale, and a source of suction connected to the probe, so that the moistair is sucked into the front face of the bale by the suction applied tothe interior of the bale via said probe.
 20. Apparatus according toclaim 19, wherein said means for delivering moist air comprises a fanwhich also forms the suction source connected to the probe. 21.Apparatus according to claim 19, further including means for addingmoisture to said air by the injection of steam.
 22. Apparatus accordingto claim 18 including parallel bands for gripping the bale between themand for driving the bale towards the probe.
 23. Apparatus according toclaim 22, including means for feeding bales continuously, one after theother, to a position between the bands.
 24. Apparatus according to claim18, in which the leading end of the probe is closed and pointed tofacilitate entry into the advancing bale, the part of the probe whichlies behind the pointed end and is embedded in the bale during use beingformed with a number of holes for the passage of air or steam. 25.Apparatus according to claim 18, including two or more parallel probeswhich are all arranged to enter the front face of the bale and to passmoist air or steam through the bale.
 26. A method of conditioning a baleof tobacco comprising the steps of feeding the bale towards and in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of a straight hollow probe so thatthe probe extends longitudinally into the front face of the advancingbale, removing tobacco continuously from the front face of the advancingbale, and passing moist air or steam through the front face of the balevia the probe while the probe extends into the bale.